What can I do for you, Mr. Holmes?
I called about that beggarman, Boone the one who was charged with
being concerned in the disappearance of Mr. Neville St. Clair, of Lee.
Yes. He was brought up and remanded for further inquiries.
So I heard. You have him here?
In the cells.
Is he quiet?
Oh, he gives no trouble. But he is a dirty scoundrel.
Dirty?
Yes, it is all we can do to make him wash his hands, and his face is
as black as a tinker s. Well, when once his case has been settled, he
will have a regular prison bath; and I think, if you saw him, you would
agree with me that he needed it.
I should like to see him very much.
Would you? That is easily done. Come this way. You can leave your
bag.
No, I think that I ll take it.
Very good. Come this way, if you please. He led us down a passage,
opened a barred door, passed down a winding stair, and brought us to a
whitewashed corridor with a line of doors on each side.
The third on the right is his, said the inspector. Here it is! He
quietly shot back a panel in the upper part of the door and glanced
through.
He is asleep, said he. You can see him very well.
We both put our eyes to the grating. The prisoner lay with his face
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